Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter! Check out our new tumblr page. :)Manga News: Toriko has come to an end; but be sure to swing by and share your favourite moments from the series!Manhwa & Manhua News: Check out the new Manhwa and Manhua shout-out (March 2016).Event News:One Piece Awards is ongoing and watch out for the start of Secret Santa!

=Is this oil stove finally done for?=It's served out its natural life span.

[x2]KNOCK=Come in.

=Good morning.

=Yo.

=Here,//I got the things you asked for.=Thanks.

<40>=Michiko, gimme a ride if you're heading home.=Sure.

=Alright, Shohei. I'll be back in the evening.[x2]CLANK=Righto.

=Hey,//Look where that kite is hanging.

=I knew something was wrong with the TV.

=That guy is my classmate from high school.=Brr.

=The girl is his childhood friend and classmate from preschool to middle school.//They're currently attending the same college in Tokyo,BATHUMP

=This is their winter visit back home.VRR—

<41>=She shows up pretty much every single day when he's staying over at my place.=Go watch the store for a minute, Shohei.=Righto.

=Shinn-chan slept over at your place again?=Yeah.

=It's the new year. He should be with his parents for once.=I told him that, too...

=Welcome.[sign right]TAHARA[sign left]FRUITS

WHIRR—

<42>=Hey ya,//I got you a little present.

=It still looks new.=It is.//My mom bought it for my room over the holidays.

=It's alright.//No one's ever gonna use it if it sits there anyways.

=Your old man's gonna yell at you again.=Don't worry.//I got the fight over with before I came here.

=They should be having a fun time trashing me behind my back right about now.

WHIRR—

<43>=When did the new mother move into Shinn's house?

=Umm—//I think it's going to be 3 years this spring.

RRR..

=Doesn't seem like he really dislikes her.=He's just being shy.

=And also,//He can strengthen the relationship and lessen the age gap between the novice couple by becoming the common source of worry among the two of them.=—I've got a hunch that's what he's trying to pull off.

<44>=That sort of understanding doesn't come about very easily.

=I've known him a long time.

=Before this turns into trash-talk...//I'm not asleep, just so you know.

VRR—

=You couldn't move because you stepped on the glob of super glue that happened to be on the sidewalk?

<45>=That was your excuse for being late?

=What. Why are you looking at me so suspiciously?//Demon-face believed me, didn't he?=Yeah.//You even had those knife marks on the sole of your shoe.

=You introduced me to a lot of strange excuses back when we were in high school.

=Well, I always came ready with 10 or 20 of 'em depending on the situation and the teacher I was up against.

=Hey,//We're outta cigarettes.

=Want me to go buy some?=No, I'll go.//They moved the vending machine to a different spot.

=Get some beer too.=Righto.

<46>=HUFF.[x2]CLONK

WHIRR—

[x2]WOOF

[x3]CLONK

<47>=Hey hey! Who's that cute girl over there!?=Dunno...

Michiko—!

<48>GLUB..

GACHUK

=Man, that was slow.//How far did you go?

=We were in huge trouble just now.//I plugged in the water boiler and the whole room went dark.=Couldn't find any flashlights, couldn't find the circuit panel... We were all over the place, and—

=You did better during high school.=Huh?

<49>=Alright,//Day after tomorrow, around six o'clock.

=You get the cake ready.=Got it.[bubble]CLANK//CLANK

=Cake?

=You wanna eat cake?=Idiot.//It's your birthday, isn't it?

=—Oh yeah,//That's right.

=I go back before your birthday each year, so I figured—=Just for a change.

=It's great having a friend, isn't it.=Why,//Thank you.

<50>=Alright, guess I'll be going to sleep.

=Oh my,//What a nice-looking girl.

=I'm turning the light off.

<51>[x2]=BEEP

=BBT[bubble]Oops

TRRRR...

<52>=Shinn,//It's for you.

=Ah.=Ahh—!

=Ah?//Train station?

=Now?//Really?=Alright, I'll be there.

=Man, what a bother.GACHUK=Who was that girl just now?

=I told her I was going back to Tokyo tomorrow, but she says she can't wait.=It's tough being such a lady-killer.

<55>=Shohei,//There was a cake and a present left in front of the door.

=Hello there—=Huh? Where's Michiko?

=You son of a...=Welcome.

=Is she the person I met in Shibuya?=Yep,//The one we ran into during our date.

=Shinn-chan's childhood friend who likes Shohei-san, right?

<56>=Pretend you didn't hear that, Shohei.=Hear what?

=She was supposed to tell you herself on the day of your birthday.

=Oh,//I didn't realize that.=Yeah, thanks for spoiling it, stupid!//I had to work so hard this past year...=Wait...

=Staying in this dirty little room all the time so it'd be easier for her to show up...=What the...

=It's a rarity these days.//A girl who needs so much help just to—

=So that means...=Oh,//No wonder it's so cold, the stove isn't even on.=Hey,//Hold up!

<57>BLICK

=Maaa—n.//See? I told you.=You can't turn on all the electric appliances in this room at the same time during the evening.

=Oh, I got it.//I know where the circuit panel is.FLAP FLAP

=Look, Shohei.WHIRR..

=I already told Michiko you're definitely gonna say yes.

=A lot of guys have confessed to her,//But this is the first time she's ever confessed to someone.

=Got that, Shohei!?

<58>=If you make Michiko cry, I'm gonna—

=Hey,//Is it okay if I turn on the TV?

=We turned off the pot and the kotatsu so it should be alright.//—But this house doesn't get good reception.[note]Kotatsu; A low table covered with a blanket and a built-in heat source. Pictured in frame two of this page.

<59>Crystal Clear

=It's not that bad.=Oh.

=Huh?//Isn't this a rerun of the New Year's show?=Yeah, it is.

=I've seen this,//Already.=Well I haven't seen it.

SCREECH

<60>=A new year,

=—Has begun.

=Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful holiday.[TV]Happy New Year=This thing is...//Boring.=Shaddup!